Asafa’s new look

Jamaican Olympian launches clothing line

Written by Garfene Grandison
02/01/2013 01:27 PM

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FASHIONABLE: Powell has been designing his own clothes line

JAMAICAN SPRINT star Asafa Powell is excited about his latest projects, which were unveiled at the end of last year. His new clothing line and 2014 calendar are just a few things he has up his sleeve – products the track sprinter is keen to share with fans.

Since the debut of the clothing line on his new website, www.iamasafa.com, Powell said it was something that he was always thinking about but was not ready because he did not have the right team to do the work. However, the 30-year-old now has a team in place, and Powell says he designed most of the clothes, with input from others out of his camp, and friends and fans via social media too.

“We are currently focusing on T-shirts now, but the ladies wanted to be included and wanted something a bit sexier, so we went with the booty shorts,” Powell said.

“The babies couldn’t be left out so there are items such as onesies and even maternity wear,” he added.

The athlete spoke about getting the items in local Jamaican stores for the public to purchase, but also pointed out the merchandise is available on his website.

On the topic of his 2014 calendar, Powell explained why he had not produced one for this year. “The 2013 calendars were on the shelves from September so it seemed pretty late to get one out for 2013, and I didn’t want to miss the full opportunities that it could bring,” he said.

DISTRAUGHT: Powell after the 100m final on August 5, at London 2012

The calendar was a surprise for some who know Powell’s shy demeanour – the sprinter mentioned that it was something people would not expect from him. “The calendar is just a way of letting go of the shyness. I’m naturally shy but I’ve grown out of it, and since I’m in the spotlight much more now it has really lessened.”

Since seeing many pictures for the upcoming calendar, the question of male modelling arose. Powell has not ruled out the idea for the future, but said it will not be happening just yet due to time constraints. Nonetheless, if a major brand, like Gucci or Dolce & Gabbana, came knocking, he could change his mind.

The athlete, who had a disappointing Olympics when pulling up in the 100m final with an injury, rejected talk of impending retirement from the track. “I have a few more years to go, about five more to be exact,” he said. “And that’s long in the life of an athlete so I wouldn’t call that soon.

“People are there to motivate other people and I think the naysayers are there to do just that, and I just use what they say to push myself even further.”

As his 2014 calendar shows, Powell likes to think ahead – he knows what direction he wants his life to take after hanging up his runner shoes. “I want to be a businessman. I’ve been in the sport for a very long time, but I am not sure if I want to stay in the sport.

“I have other dreams that I want to pursue, like my clothing line that I just started, and my cars,” said Powell, who intends to own a number of garages across the island.

The Christmas season saw Powell in a charitable mood; he hosted a Christmas dinner for children of the Jerusalem Children’s Home in Spanish Town.